Operating mechanism for washing and like machines.



G. N. MEVES. OPERATING MEGHANISMFOR WASHING AND LIKE MACHINES.

I APPLICATION FILED O0T.30,1911.. 31,086,546

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Feb. 10, 19-14 G. N. MEVES. OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WASHING AND LIKE MACHINE APPLICATIONIIILED OUT" 30, 1911.

3 sunws-suam z.

Patented Feb. 10

G. N. MEVES.

- OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WASHING AND LIKE MACHINES:

APPLICATION FILED OCT 30, 1911.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914:.

3 SHEETSSHET a.

may.

STATES PATENT mm;

GUSTAV N. MEVES, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WASHING AND LIKE MACHINES.

rosasaa.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAV N. MEvEs, a. citizen of the United States, and a resident of Davenport, in the county of Scott and.

reference marked thereon, which form a part of this, specification.

This invention relates to improvements in motor driven mechanisms for-washing and like machines, conveniently adaptable to such mechanisms as embody a main operating or stirrer head shaft to which is imparted a rotary, reciprocatory motion.

The invention relates also to mechanism, associated with the operatin mechanism of the main shaft or element, or operating a secondary shaft or element, such as a roller shaft or shafts of a wringer, mounted upon or associated with the washing or like machine, theparts being arranged to drive said shafts in either direction, and having means fordisconnecting said shafts from the driv- Among the objects of the invention is to provide an improved means for reversing the direction of rotation of the motor driven elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved mechanism for connecting the primary and secondary operating shafts or elements to the motor driven shafts, and disconnecting them therefrom, such connect- .ing and disconnecting elements embracing,

when the mechanism is adapted to a washing machine, suitable "clutches and clutch shifters which are arranged to be operated upon the opening and closing movements of the lid of the washing machine tub.

A further object of the invention is to provide in connection with the operating mechanism, a novel means for hinging the lid of the tub, or like swinging part.

.Other objects of the invention will appear from the foregoing description, and the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side evation of a washing-machine embodying my Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 30, 1911.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914. Serial No. 657,473.

improvements with the tub partially broken away to reveal the dasher. Fig. 2 is a rear elevationthcreof. 'Fig 3 is a top plan View of the machine. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 44 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 2, showing the lock ing means'for the motor shaft shifter bar. Fig. 6 is a detail on the line 66 of Fig. 3 showing the dolly shaft pitman. Figs. 7 and 8 are details illustrating the clutch shifters for the wringer and dolly shaftoperating mechanisms, which shifters are actuable on the opening and closing movements-of the lid of the Washingmachine tub.

As shown in the drawings, the tub 10 is provided with the usual swinging lid 11 and is supported on the legs 12, 12, which latter are connected by. the horizontal frame members or braces 13, 13. Extending downwardly through the swinging lid is a shaft 17 which carries at its lower end, within the tub, a stirrer head or dolly 18. Said shaft is mounted in a suitable bearing sleeve or bushing 20 carried by the swinging lid, and

the shaft carries at its upper end a beveled pinion 21, which latter meshes with a rocking toothed element or sector 22 that is pivotally mounted on a stud 23 carried by the upper end of a standard 24 which rises from, and may be made integral with, a plate 25 that carries the bearing sleeve or bushing 20.

26 designatesa horizontal driving shaft of a motor 27 that is supported beneath the tub on the cross pieces 13 said shaft being mounted at its outer end in bearings 28, carried by the cross pieces. Fixed to said motor shaft is a worm 30 which. meshes with a worm gear 31 that is fixed to the lower end of an upright shaft 32 which is arranged at one side of and in rear of the tub. Said upright shaft is provided at its upper end with a beveled pinion 33 arranged between and adapted to alternately mesh with the two beveled gears 34, 35 which face each other and are fixed to, or made integral with, a sleeve 36 that is loosely mounted on a hori- 'zontal shaft 37 arranged at the rear side of the machine tub or body above the level of the lid thereof. Said shaft as herein shown, constitutes the shaft of .the lower wringer roll 38 of a wringer 39 that is supported on a wringer board l0 at the rear side of the machine body or tub; the shaft 37 being con-' nected bythe. intermeshing pinions 41, 42

is mounted at its outer end in the sleeve 36 of the ears 34, 35 which latter is in turn rotative y mounted in a bearing 47 carried by astandard 48 which risesfrom, and is made integral with, a metal frame plate 49 that is attached in any suitable manner to .the non-rising part or section 50 of the tub lid or cover.

52 designates a horizontal shaft arranged at a right angle to the wringer shaft 37 andis provided .at its rear end with a pinion 53 loosely mounted thereon and adapted to mesh with one of the gears 34, 35 of the double gear on the wringer shaft (the gear 34 as herein shown). The shaft 52 is rotatively mounted in the upper ends of the standards 55, 56, the latter rigid with and rising from the frame plate 49, and theformer rigid with and rising from a frame plate 58 that is secured in any suitable manner to'the rising or swihging portion of the lid or cover 11. The said shaft 52 is provided at its end remote from the pinion 53 with a crank 57 which crank is looselyconnected to one end of a pitman 58, which latter is connected at its other end to a stud 59 which extends laterally from the gear sector 22, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 6. As herein shown, the inner end of said pitman is formed with a downwardly opening hook 60 which engages over the stud 59, and said hook may be provided with a spring pressed member 61, as shown in Fig. 6 which acts to hold the pitman engaged with said stud, but permits its ready detachment therefrom. In the construction described the continuous rotation of the shaft 52 serves to impart,- through the pitman 58, the gear sector 22 municates motion from the motor driven shaft to the dasher shaft, over the meeting line of the's'w'inging and non-rising parts of the tub top or lid, and fixing one pair of standards55, 56 in which the shaft 52 is rotatively m unted on the fixed or non-rising portion of the tub top or lid and theother p'air'of standards to the swinging or rising portion of the tub top or .lid, so that the shaft thereby becomes the pintle about which the swinging portion of the tub lid is raised and lowered. As herein shown the standards 56, carried by the non-rising portion of the tub top or lid, constitute the fixed parts of. the hinge, while the standards 55, carried by the swinging portion of -nec ed from the motor driven shaft.

the. tub lid constitute the movable parts of the hinge.

Another feature of the invention is embraced in the arrangement whereby the motor driven shaft 32 is swingingly mounted at the endnear the motor shaft so that the beveled pinion 33 at theother end thereof may, by the swinging movement of said shaft 32, be shifted into mesh with either the beveled gears 34 or 35', or int-o a neutral position. This arrangement provides means whereby the wringer shaft 37 may be rotated in one direction or the other, depend ing upon which of the gear wheels 34. 35 the jnion 33 is in mesh, or may be discon- The said pivotal mounting of the shaft 32, whereby it may be swung'to shift the pinion 33 into mesh with either of the gear wheels 34, 35 or into neutral vposition'is herein shown as constructed and arranged as fol-' the worm. wheel. 31 and is provided with a hub 66 in which said shaft 32 is rotatively mounted. The casingis provided with laterally separated arms 67 having the bearings 68, 68, shown best in 4:, which are lows: 65 designates'a casing whichinclose mounted on the motor shaft 26 to permit the casing to swing about said shaft as an axis. The said upright motor driven shaft 32 is supported on said casing 65, as by meansof pin-.70 extending transversely through the shaft 32 and a washer 71 surrounding the shaft and on which said pin bears and which in tum bears on the hub 66 of the said casing 65. The upper end of said shaft .32 is designed to be shifted tocarry the piniOn 33. thereof from its neutral position into mesh. with the gear wheels 34:, 35 by means of a shifter bar 73 which is loosely or pivotally connected at 7 1 to a sleeve 75 which loosely surrounds and is supported on the.

shaft 32. The said shifter bar 73 extends horizontally from the shaft 32 toward the opposite side of the machine body or tub and is guided for horizontal"reciprocable movement in a bracket 77 which is attached to and depends from the wring'er board 40, as herein shown. The shifter bar is provided at its free end with a locking device by which the shaft 32 and the pinion 33 carried thereby may be locked in either its neutral or-at one of the limits of its movement. The locking device which I have herein shown is made as follows: 80 (Figs. 2 and 5) designates a bracket whichis attached to the machine tub or body below the wringer board and extends upwardly and rearwardly from its point of attachment. The bracket is provided at its upper. edge with two side notches 81, 82 and an intermediate notch 83. Fixed to the outer or free end of the shifterv bar 73 is a fitting 85, provided with a hand piece 86. Said hand piece and the bar are arranged a distance in rear of the TIflf/ll flrl edge of the bracket 80. 88 designates av ver-' tically. swinging pawl that is pivoted at its rear end 89 to the fitting 85 and is adapted for engagement at its free end with one of the notches 81, 82 or 83 of the bracket 80. 90 designates an L shaped pawl actuating lever, one end of which is 'pivoted'at 91 t0 the outer-end of the pawl and the other end 92 of which lies inside of and generally parallel with the hand p ece 86. The pawl 88 is held normally in position to be retained in one of the notches of the bracket 80 by a spiral, contractile spring 95 which is attached at one end to the lower side of the pawl 88 and at its other end to a lug 96 which extends downwardly and forwardly from the fitting 85. Through the action ofthe lever 90 the pawl may be raised above the notched upper edge of the holding bracket 80 so as to permit the shifter bar 7 3 to be reoiprocated and thereby swing: the upper end of the motor operated shaft 32 to shift the pinion 33 into any of its three positions, and when said lever 90 is released the spring 95 swings the pawl into engagement with one of fthenotches and locks therein.

The double gear constituted by the gear wheels 3 1, and integral sleeve 36, which is normally loose on the shaft 37, is adapted to be locked to said shaft to cause the shaft to rotate therewith through the medium of a clutchdevice that is made as follows: 100 v designates a clutch-sleeve that has a limited sliding movement endwise of the shaft'and is non-rotative thereon. Said sleeve is formed with a toothed inner end adapted for engagement with the toothed outer end 101 of-th'e-sleeve 36 of the double gear. The

sliding movement of the clutch-sleeve 100 on the shaft 37 is limited by a pin 102 on the shaft which extends outwardly through a slot 103 of the clutch sleeve; "When the double gear is clutched to theshaft 37 the wringer maybe operated in either direction from the upright motor operated shaft 32. The pinion 53,'which is normally loose on the shaft 52, is adapted to be locked to said shaft by a clutch sleeve or collar 105. which is slidable endwise of the shaft 52, and is I provided at its rearend with clutch teeth adapted to engage clutchteeth 106 on the hub of said pinion. The endwise' movement of the clutch sleeve 105 islimited by a pin 107 on the shaft 52 which extends into a. slot 108 'in the sleeve, as best shown in Fig. 3. As afurther and separate improvement I provide a clutch shifter which operates the clutch sleeve 105, and connects said clutch shifter with the swinging or rising portion of the tub lid or cover so that the clutch sleeve 105 is shifted on the shaft 52 to dis connect said shaft and the dasher shaft from power when the lid is raised, and is shifted to connect the said shaft-52 andthe dasher shaft to power when the lid is lowered. As

which is made as follows: 110 designates a general L shaped lever, one arm of which is pivoted to the plate 49 or the non rising part of the tub lid by the vertical pivot pin 111. The free arm of said leveris turned upwardly as shown at 112 to engage an annular groove 113 formed in the clutch sleeve 105. 115 designates a second L shaped; lever, one arm of which is -pivoted to a horizontal lug 116 fixed to and extending laterally from the adjacent standard55, constituting one of the'movable hinge: lugs of the tublid hinge. Thesaid pivoted arm of the lever extends rearwardly over the lever 110 and the outer. or f-reearmyll'llof the lever 115 extends laterally into a groove 118 of the clutch sleeve ,100 for the wringer shaft. Between 'theend of the pivoted arm of the lever 115 and the angle of the lever arms is formed a horizontall-ug 120 which extends laterally and said-lug is slotted to receive a pin or stud 122 which is attached to and extends, upwardly from the lever 110.

The parts are shownin Fig. 3 as occupy.- ing the position which they assume when the lid is in its closed position,3at.whi ch over thepivoted arm of the lower lever time the pin on 53 is clutchedto theshaft 52 so that the stirrer head shaft-[fie connected'to power. The double gear, compris ing the beveled gears 34, 35, is at this time loose on its shaft, so, that the-wringer is'dis-. connected from power. In these positions of the pa'rtsthe power is connected only to the stirrer head shaft, and the wringer isfree to beoperated by hand. The lowerwringer' roll shaftmay be provided with a detachable crank (not shown). ,WVhen the lid israised to open the same, the "pivoted arm of the lever is drawn forwardly and actsto swing said lever about its pivot pin 122 so as to throw the free arm 117 of the toothed end of the hub 36 of the double gear and .lock the wringer shaft to power. This movement of the lever 115 serves, through the pin 122, to swing the free arm of the lever 110 in a direction to shift the clutch sleeve 105 from the pinion 53 andthereby disconnect the stirrer head shaft from power.

When the lid is swung downwardly thereverse movements of the parts occur-to con nect the stirrer head shaft to power and disconnect the wringershaft from power.

lever and the clutch sleeve 100 toward the" The pin 122 is shown as elongated to permit relative vertical movement of the levers 110 and 115, as is required. The free end of the arm 117 of the lever 115 may be supported to retain the same engaged with the groove 118 by a supporting bracket 125 which rises from the frame plate 49, the upper and supporting surface of said bracket being elongated-to support the free arm 117 of said lever in all positions of its movement. The said levers 110 and 115 constitute clutch shifters, which are automatically operated through means controlled by the opening and closing movements of the lid to connect and disconnect'the power from the stirrer head shaft and wringer shaft. So far as the broader aspects of the invention are concerned, said shifter members may beotherwise constructed and arranged.

I haveshown a convenient means for connecting the two shifters so that they may be made to operate simultaneously to effect their. proper functions, but they may be arranged. to operate independently. The swinging gear sector 22 which operates the stirrer head shaft may be provided with a socket 126 to receive a hand lever, whereby 'the stirrer head shaft may be operated by hand, when desired.

It will be understood that the structural details of the mechanism may be somewhat varied within the scope and spirit of the invention, and the invention is not limited tosuch details exceptas such limitations are imposed by the prior art. Instead of driving the machine with the electric motor shown I may provide the shaft 26 with a belt pulley whereby the machine may be driven by other motive power,-sueh, for instance, as a gasoshaft, a pinion thereon adapted to alternately mesh. with either face of said double faced gear and to occupy a neutral position between said gear faces, and means for swinging said motor-driven shaft.

2. Operating gear mechanism compris ing, in combination with a body, a primary 1 shaft capable of rotary, reciprocatory motion, a secondary rotary. shaft, opposing, rigidly connected gears on said secondary shaft, a transmission shaft, with a pinion thereon meshing with one of the faces of the double faced gear and operatively connected to said primary shaft to drive the latter,-a swingable, motor-driven shaft, a pinion thereon adapted for alternate meshing engagement with said opposing.gears said oppositely facing gears, with means for locking the latter pinion to its shaft, said motor-driven shaft being pivotally mounted at its lower end, a pinion on the upper end of the operating shaft arranged between theoppositely facing gears, to be alternately shifted into mesh with said gears by the swinging movement of said upright shaft, and means for so swinging said motorrlriven shaft.

4. Operating mechanism for washing and like machines comprising, in" combination with abody, an operating shaft mounted therein and capable of rotary, feciprocatory motion, a motor driven shaft, a rotative shaft, opposing connected gears thereon, ashaft which is operatively connected at one end t-oand drives said operating shaft, a loosely mounted pinion on the latter shaft with means for locking the pinion to its 'shaft, said motor-driven shaft being pivotally mounted, a pinion on the latter shaft adapted to be alternately shifted into mesh with said opposing gears by swinging movement of its shaft, and means for shifting the pivotal, motor-driven shaft, e111- bracing a reciprocating shifter bar arranged in the rear of said body, and connected at one end with said shaft and locking means for locking the bar and shaft in different adjusted positions. v

5. Operating mechanism for washing and like machines comprising, in combination with a body, an operating shaft mounted therein and capable of rotary, reciprocatory motion, a motor-driven shaft, a rotative shaft, rigidly connected gears thereon, a horizontalshaft which is operatively con nected to and drives said operating shaft, a loosely mounted pinion thereon for engagement with one ofsaid gears, with means for locking the pinion to its shaft, said motor-driven shaft being pivotally. mounted at one end, a pinion on the latter shaft arranged between the oppositely facing gears and adapted to be alternately shifted into mesh with said latter gears by the swinging movement of its shaft, a reciprocable shifter bar connected at one end to said swingable shaft, and locking means at the other end of the bar for locking the bar and shaft in I different adjusted positions.

6. Operating mechanism for washing and like machines comprising, in combination with a body, an operating shaft mounted therein and capable of rotary, reciprocatory motion, a. motor-driven shaft, a second shaft oppositely facing, rigidly connected gears on the latter shaft, a shaft which is operativcly connected. to and drives said operating shaft, a loosely mounted pinion on said latter shaft for engagement. with one of said gears, with means for locking the pinion to its shaft, said motor-driven shaft being pivotally mounted, a pinion on the latter shaft arranged between the oppositely facing gears and adapted to be alternately shifted into mesh with said latter gears, arcciprocable shifter bar connected at one end to said pivotally mounted shaft, and locking means on the bar for locking the bar and the shaft in different adjusted positions, said locking means comprising a spring pressed pawl carried by the shifter bar, with means for operating the'pawl,

and a bracket attached to the body and provided with a series of notches for engagement by said pawl.

7. Operating mechanism for washing and like machines comprising, in combination with a body and its hinged portion, an opei ating shaft mounted on said hinged portion, a rotative, horizontal shaft at one side of the body that is'operatively connected to the operating shaft, a power driven shaft, a motor for operating the same, means connecting the power driven shaft to the horizontal shaft embracing a releasable clutch device, and standards rising from said hinged portion and a fixed part of the body in which said shaft is rotatively mounted, whereby said rotative shaft becomes the axis about which the hinged portion is swung to open and close the same.

8. Operatingmechanism for washing and like machines, comprising a body with a hinged member, and an operating shaft mounted in the hinged member, a motor.- driven shaft, operative connections between said motor-driven shaft and the operating shaft to drive the latter, embracing means for disconnecting the motor-driven shaft from the operating shaft and means auto 11] atically operated by the raising and lowering movement of the hinged member to actuate said disconnecting means.

9. Operating mechanism for washing and the like machines, comprising a body provided with a swinging member, an operative shaft mounted in said swinging member, a motor-driven shaft, operative connections between the motor-driven shaft and the operating shaft, embracing a clutch device, and a clutch shifter acting on the clutch device to disconnect the motor-driven shaft from the operating shaft with means, operated by the rising and falling movements of the swinging member, to actuate said shifter.

10. Operating gear mechanism eml n'aeing, in combination witha body and its swinging member,- a primary operating shaft mounted in the" swinging member, a secondary operating shaft, a motor-driven shaft, means to connect it to the primary operating shaft, embracing a clutch device, and other means for opcratively connecting it to the secondary operating shaft, embracing a clutch device and clutch shifters for said clutch devices, having means, controlled by the rising and falling movements of the swinging member, to actuate them.

11. Operating gear mechanism, embracing a body with a swinging member, a primary operating shaft mounted on the swinging member, a secondary operating'shaft, two rigidly connected, opposing gears loosely mounted on the secondary operating shaft, a clutch device for locking said gears 'to the said secondary operating shaft, an

intermediate shaft operatively connected to the primary operating shaft, a pinion thereon which meshes with one of said opposing gears, a clutch device for locking said pinion to said latter shaft, clutch shifters and means controlled by the rising and falling-movements of the swinging n'iember for actuating said clutch shifters.

12. Operating gear mechanism, comprising abody with a swinging member, a primary operating shaft mounted on the swinging member, a secondary operating shaft, two rigidly connected, opposing gears loosely mounted on the latter shaft, a clutch device for locking said gears to the secondary shaft, an intermediate shaft operatively connected to the primary shaft, a pinion thereon meshing with one of said opposing gears. a clutch for locking said latter pinion to its shaft, an lL-shaped clutch.

shifter pivoted to a. fixed part of the body and engaging at one end the clutch for locking the pinion to the intermediate shaft, and a second L-shapcd shifter pivoted a one end to a. part which moves with the swinging member in its swinging motion and engaging at its other end the clutch which. locks the opposinggears to the secondary shaft.

13. Operating gear mechanisnr comprising a body with a swinging m'embcr,'- a primary operating shaft mounted on the swinging' member, a secondary operating sl 1ft, two rigidly connected, opposing gears loosely mounted on the latter shaft, a clutch device. for locking said gears to the second ary shaft, an intermediate shaft operatively connected to the primary shaft, a pinion.

thereon. meshing with oneiof said opposing gears, a clutch for locking said latter pinion to its shaft, an L-shaped clutch shifter pivoted to a fixed part-of the body and engaging at one end the clutch for locking the pinion to the intermediate shaft, and a la h second L-shaped shifter pivoted at one end to a part which moves with the swinging member in its swinging motionand engaging at its other end the clutch which locks the opposing gears to the secondary shaft,

*said latter shifter crossing the first shifter,

shaft, a second shaft arranged at an angle.

to the motor driven shaft, a double faced gear thereon, between the faces of which said pinion extends, an operating shaft capable of rotary, reciprocatory motion,

a gear.

operative connections between the double faced gearand said operating shaft, and means for imparting relative movement to said pinion and double faced gear, whereby the pinion may be brought to mesh with either face of said gear orto a neutral POSI- tion with respect to the two faces of the In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 24th day of October, A. D. 1911.

, GUSTAV N. MEVES. Witnesses:

HENRY H. JEBENS, MIN IE HARTKor. 

